Sample 3 cl Foxdenton The Original 48 London Dry Gin 48

An English estate family, an old recipe and a decision to bottle the gin stronger than anyone else. Foxdenton makes little noise about itself, but the label reads 48%, and few London Dry Gins go that high. Here in 3 cl, so the strength can be tried in a small glass first.

The expert's description

Sample 3 cl Foxdenton The Original 48 London Dry Gin 48% is a London Dry Gin distilled with juniper, coriander, angelica, orris root and lime flower oil, and bottled at 48%.

Behind the gin stand the Foxdenton Estate Company and the Radclyffe family, whose estate has been in family hands since 1367. The distillation itself takes place at Thames Distillery in London, where Charles Maxwell worked the recipe out, and the first run came to a modest 1,000 litres.

The Original 48 is the flagship and structurally a very classical London Dry Gin. Juniper, coriander, angelica and orris root form the backbone of the style, and it is the fifth ingredient that sets it apart: oil of lime flower. It lays a soft, honeyed floral tone across the dry pine structure and rounds off the high 48% from the inside.

The strength is no accident. A gin bottled this high carries more of the oil-bearing aromatics through into the distillate, and it holds its shape through ice and tonic instead of thinning out. This 3 cl sample is there so the difference between 48% and a standard 40% gin can be felt before a full bottle is chosen.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and traditional. Juniper stands out front and dry, and behind it sits coriander with a warm, bread-like tone alongside the earthy root of angelica. Lime flower arrives last as something sweet and floral.

Palate

Opens with lime-like citrus peel and turns dry quickly. Orris root lays a powdery, almost violet note across the middle, and the strength registers as warmth rather than as sharpness. Lime flower keeps the whole thing from becoming severe.

Finish

Dry and long. The pine tone from the juniper hangs on together with something close to dry hay, and it takes a while before the mouth is clean again.

Specifications

Name: Sample 3 cl Foxdenton The Original 48 London Dry Gin 48%
Producer: Foxdenton Estate Company
Region/Country: England
Type: London Dry Gin
ABV: 48%
Size: 3 CL
Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica, orris root and lime flower oil
Edition: The Original 48
Serving suggestion: With Tonic Water, plenty of ice and a strip of lime peel

Flavour profile

Dry · Juniper-forward · Floral · Spiced · Powerful

Did you know?

The Foxdenton estate has been in the Radclyffe family's hands since 1367, when it came to the line through a marriage. The gin is therefore several centuries younger than the family, and its name is a quiet reminder of that.

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Frequently asked questions about Sample 3 cl Foxdenton The Original 48 London Dry Gin 48%

Why is Foxdenton The Original 48 bottled so strong?

Because strength carries aroma. At 48% more of the oil-bearing aromatics come through into the distillate, and the gin can take ice and tonic without thinning out. The 48 in the name refers to exactly that bottling strength.

What is lime flower, and what does it do to the gin?

Lime flower is the blossom of the linden tree, and its oil is Foxdenton's signature. It lays a soft, honeyed and lightly floral tone across the dry juniper structure. Without it, this would be a very tight, classical London Dry Gin.

Who is behind Foxdenton?

The Radclyffe family, owners of the Foxdenton estate in England. The distillation is handled by Thames Distillery in London, where Charles Maxwell developed the recipe, and the first run amounted to 1,000 litres.

Does a gin at 48% need mixing differently?

Yes, give it a little more room. Use plenty of ice and a dry tonic, and hold back on filling the glass to the brim, because this gin takes more dilution than a 40% bottling. In a Martini the extra degrees mean the drink still has body after stirring.

What food does it suit?

Salty, fatty things. A gin and tonic built on The Original 48 cuts through smoked salmon, oysters and salted almonds, and the dry pine structure also works beside a hard cheese. Steer clear of sweet dishes, which sit awkwardly against the dryness.

What is a 3 cl sample good for?

Comparison. 3 cl equals one bar measure, and that is exactly the amount needed to line two or three gins up beside each other and feel what strength and botanicals do to the flavour. Browse the full selection of Whisky Samples.